Trying To Believe
by Breathing In Shadows
Summary: Iruka is in love with Kakashi, but thinks Kakashi hates him. The same is true with Kakashi. Can Tsunade step in and open their blind eyes? CHAPTER THREE IS NOW UP! so sorry for the wait!
1. Chapter 1

_**Authors note:**_** um, well hi. This is my first story here, and I really hope that it's okay. I've had it in my head for a while now and finally my friend Jasmine made me write it out with the help of my new laptop, so thank her, it's all her fault! …Not really. But please be nice to me, this means no flames. You can see my position on flames on my page, so I won't tell you here because that would take up both too much time as well as too much space…and I'm just plain ****lazy. But really, please do send**** me your thoughts, because if you don't, my head might stop filling with ideas. **** And t****hat, my friends, would be very, very bad. I hope you like.**

**I don't own, so you don't sue!**

**Yaoi, do not like, do not read!**

**Iruka's thoughts**

_**Kakashi's thoughts**_

**Tsunade's thoughts**

"Sigh." **I'll never be good enough for him.** Iruka thought to himself as he watched Kakashi walk through the doors of the missions' room. **Let it go Iruka, just let it go. You know that you could never have that with him, he could never think of you that way. Just give it up.**

Even though Iruka had told himself that a hundred times, he would find himself watching him whenever he had a chance, whenever he could pass off any questions that he might receive with an excuse that was believable.

**It's been getting worse now, **Iruka reflected. **Whenever I see him, I zone out, thinking about how he smells, sharp like the deep, dark places of the forest. Or I think of the touch of his pale skin to mine. Or how he would taste, what I wouldn't give to kiss him just once. Just once! But that will never happen; I just need to stop thinking about him. That's ****all;**** just stop thinking about him…….do I really think this will help?** Iruka snapped out of his self pitying mode with a sigh and looked up to see Kakashi giving him one of his one-eyed smiles.

"What's the matter, Iruka sensei?" Kakashi asked him.

"well, I'm having this problem with this idiotic jounin who doesn't turn his mission reports in on time and am trying to find the best way to show him how aggravated he makes me sometimes. Should I ignore him completely, or should I throw sharp, pointy objects at him? What do you think, Kakashi sensei?" Iruka asked the silver haired man standing in front of him with a very serious voice. Kakashi chuckled at the comment.

"Well, if you ignore him, he most likely will never turn in his reports, so option number one is out of the question…"

"So I should throw sharp, pointy objects at him instead?"Iruka asked while hiding a grin.

"Oh, I don't think that you should do that either." Was the response he was given.

"Why not?" iruka's only reason for wanting an answer to his question was to hear what the jounin would come up with to save himself.

"Well, would you really want to inflict pain on the hottest nin in the entire village, would you?" Kakashi asked Iruka with a wink and a smirk.

"Well," Iruka answered while trying to suppress the blush that was starting to form on his cheeks. "There wouldn't be the issue of sharp, pointy things if you would just turn in your paper work when you are told to!" Iruka snapped at the smiling jounin.

"But Iruka sensei, there was this whale and it was stuck between these two trees…" Kakashi trailed off.

"Kakashi sensei, are you trying to tell me that you found a whale stuck between two trees…in the middle of the forest?"

"I'm so happy that you understood, it save me time explaining the circumstances to you." Kakashi seemed slightly put off when all he got for his comment was an annoyed sigh.

"Do you have your report or not?" Iruka snapped at Kakashi.

"Right here." Kakashi put the paper down in front of Iruka. "Have a good day, Iruka sensei!" Kakashi called as he practically skipped out of the room. After he was gone, Iruka allowed his head to slip from his hands and land on the desk in front of him.

**Why? Why does that man bring up such feelings in me when he infuriates me so much? Why?!** He brought his head up from his desk when he heard someone approach his desk. Tsunade was staring down at him.

"Oh, hello Tsunade Sama. What can I do for you?"

"Well, for starters, you could answer my next question absolutely truthfully."

"Um, sure."** Oh crap! What could she possibly want? Did Naruto do something ****unintelligent**** again? **Tsunade sighed as she watched Iruka's expression to a slightly panicked one.

"Nothing bad will come of this." She promised the worried teacher.

"Um, alright Tsunade Sama, I will try to answer your questions as truthfully as possible."

"Good, so on to the first question!" Tsunade began with a slightly sadistic smile.

**Her smile is not doing anything to make me feel more at ease…if anything, it's making me feel as though it was a very bad idea to agree to this…** Iruka snapped out of his despairing thoughts as Tsunade asked her first question.

"So, how long?"

"I'm sorry, but how long what Tsunade Sama?"

"How long have you liked Kakashi sensei?" she asked cheerfully. "Oh, and remember Iruka sensei, you promised to tell the truth, and I really wouldn't do to break your word to the Hokage."

"What?! I don't… I mean… I could never… I mean! Um…what gave you that impression, Tsunade Sama?" Iruka almost yelled at her while his entire face lit up like a Christmas light.

"Oh, I don't know, maybe because you watch him whenever he is around, you blush every time he talks to you, oh, and let us not forget the outburst you just had. I mean, you lit up like a light bulb! Those are my reasons to suspect this." When Iruka did not respond, just look at his desk while blushing heavily, she sighed and asked her question again. "So, how long have you liked him?"

"Um, since around the chunin exams…" Iruka responded in a very small voice while continuing to examine his desk very closely.

"Alright, I'm glad that we are getting somewhere. Next question!" She said as she memorized every word that came out of the chunin in front of her.

"Wait, you have more questions?!" Iruka asked as he began to panic.

"Of course. Now, do you think that he knows about your feelings towards him?"

"Oh, god, I hope not!" Iruka answered as he turned pale.

"Why would you hope that if you are in love with him?" Tsunade asked, slightly confused.

"If he were to know, I am afraid that he would hate me even more than he does now." Iruka told her with a sigh.

"Why do you think that Kakashi hates you, Iruka sensei?" Tsunade asked, growing more and more confused with each passing second.

"During the chunin exams, I overstepped my boundaries when I opposed his decision about team seven taking the test. After that there is no reason to think otherwise about how Kakashi sensei feels about me…or will ever feel about me for that matter."

"Oh, I wouldn't say that Iruka sensei." Tsunade said to him with a knowing smirk.

"What do you mean?" now Iruka was the one that was confused.

"Well, the way that he acts around you is completely different than they way he acts around anyone else, to start with."

"That could be explained with him hating me, if it were true, which it isn't. Tsunade Sama, he acts no different around me than he does around everyone else."

"Oh yes he does, Iruka sensei. You are the only one he acts like that around, you just can't see it."

"Again, you can explain that with him hating me. Besides, what could Kakashi sensei possibly see in me? I'm just a chunin, a teacher! He is the famous copy nin! Everyone knows him, or at least knows of him! How could he possibly feel like that towards me?"

"Iruka sensei, you need to give yourself a chance, let _him_ give _you_ a chance. If you don't do that, he can't either. Have a nice day." Iruka watched in shocked silence as Tsunade walked from the deserted room.

**Is it possible? Could he actually feel that way toward me?**


	2. Chapter 2

**Yay****, second chapter! I really hope that at least some people out there like my story. These first chapters are coming out fast because I have already written them, but I will most likely get slower when I get to the point where I have to write them to post them. Anyway, that is not important right now. Anyway, please do review, because if no one does, the world will come to an end! …no, really, it will…**** Note, there is a little bit of swearing in this chapter.**

**Remember, flames will be used to burn down your house! **

**I have no money, so please don't sue me!**

**Iruka's thoughts**

_**Kakashi's**__** thoughts**_

_Tsunade's__ thoughts_

Imalineimalineimalineimalineimalineimalineimalineimallineimalineimalineimalineimalineimalineimaline

Kakashi was deep in thought as he walked down the street. To say that he was confused would be an understatement.

_**I don't know what to do**__ He thought to himself with a sigh._

"Kakashi sensei, are you alright?"

"Oh, Tsunade Sama, hello. Yes, I'm alright, why do you ask?

"Because you have been reading the exact same page of your book since I noticed you, that's all." Tsunade said with a smile.

"I'm okay, just a bit…preoccupied, that's all."

"Anything that you want to get off your chest that has been bothering you?" Tsunade inquired.

"Not really."

"Okay." Tsunade continued to walk beside the perplexed nin. After a few minutes of silence, Tsunade spoke again, "Kakashi, can I ask you a question?"

"Sure." Kakashi wouldn't admit it, but he was curious about what Tsunade wanted to know.

"Okay. Do you like Iruka sensei?" the second that her question left her mouth, Kakashi froze and his mind went into over drive.

_**What the…how does she know?! Am I being so forward that everyone has noticed? Oh, shit! What does she think? More importantly, what does he think?**_ After he took a few seconds to compose himself, he turned to Tsunade.

"Why do you think that, Tsunade Sama?"

"Well, I think that because of the way that you act around him Kakashi sensei." She told him with a smug look on her face. "You cannot hide from me, Kakashi sensei."

"I'm afraid that I have no idea about what you are saying. I hope that you have a good day, Tsunade Sama." With that, Kakashi started to walk away as fast he could without seeming in too much of a hurry.

"Oh, you are not getting away that easily without answering my questions that easily!" she grabbed his arm and started to drag him away with her as he fought to get free. "That's it, with you struggling like you are, it would be best if I just transported us to my office." With her hands she made the signs for transporting while holding Kakashi still and transported them both to her office.

"Right, now that we are away from the general public, will you answer my questions truthfully, or will I have to try something more extreme to get what I want?"

"Alright, I will answer all your questions truthfully."

"Very good. Now, first question, why did you give in so easily?"

"I gave in so quickly, as you say, because I did not wish to find out what you would do to me, nor do I wish to ever know. And also, I had the feeling that I would have to tell you eventually, whether it was by my will or not." Kakashi answered with a sigh.

"Smart move. You are correct in the fact that I would have made you tell me eventually."

_**I am getting a bad feeling about coming willingly to this little 'meeting'. Oh gods, why did she have to be so observant?**_

"Right, as soon as you stop having a conversation with yourself we can get on with this, okay?"

"I suppose that running away will not work either?" Kakashi asked, defeated.

"Yup!" was his cheerfully answer. "Now, question number two, you do like him, right?"

"Yes, I like him, alright!"

"Good, now we are finally getting somewhere. Do you realize that you act differently around him than you do around anyone else?" Tsunade inquired

"No, I didn't… do I really acts _that_ differently around him?"

"Yes, you do. I don't think that anyone else sees it for what it really means, though. I think that most people think you just really enjoy teasing him. I think that I am the only one so far to put two and two together. Even he hasn't noticed." She explained to the nin sitting across from her.

A sigh of relief escaped Kakashi after she had said that.

"Are you relieved that no one else has noticed, or that he hasn't noticed?"

"Mostly that he hasn't noticed." After he had said that, Tsunade looked at him as though he had grown a second head.

"Why?! Why don't you want him to know about your feelings? That doesn't make any sense to me at all! You like him, but you don't want him to know that you like him?" She asked while feeling completely confused.

"I don't want him to know because that might make him hate me even more than he does now."

"Kakashi, stop with yourself pity and explain to me how one of the kindest and most understanding people in the entire village could hate you, because I honestly do not understand where you are coming from." She told him while lapsing into another bout of confusion.

"While we were making the decisions about which team were to participate in the chunin exams, Iruka sensei expressed concern about including team seven. Looking back, his unease is completely rational; I did not see it at the time and said something that gives him every right to hate me, which he most likely does. That is why I do not want him to know of my feelings." Was the long reply to her question, accompanied with a long sigh.

"I do not think that Iruka sensei hates you, and for the love of god, stop sighing! It's making my head hurt." Tsunade said, and yelled.

"Why don't you think that Iruka sensei hates me, he really has every right to."

"Because of the fact that he has put up with the way that you act to him and annoy him and he hasn't blown up at him. And that means something, Damn it!"

"Just yesterday he threatened to either ignore me or throw sharp objects at me." Kakashi pointed out.

"Well, that's to be expected, but the important part is that he didn't, did he?" Tsunade pointed out.

"…No, but why does that matter?" Kakashi asked, completely lost on why that meant anything at all.

"Well, if it were anyone else, I am sure that he would have gone through with his threats, whether they were above him in rank on not, because at that point, he really doesn't care. See?" Tsunade asked to check that Kakashi understood what she had told him.

"No, I really do not see what you are getting at." Kakashi answered.

"It shows that he sees you as different as everyone else. And no, it is not because he hates you. If he hated you, he would do more damage than he usually does to people that get on his nerves."

Kakashi sighed again. "I really do not think that you are right, Tsunade Sama."

"It honestly doesn't matter what you think, Kakashi, the only thing that matters is how you both feel, not what you think that other thinks…and for god sakes, stop with the pathetic sighing! It's not like you, and it's driving me crazy!" with that Tsunade let the discussion laps into silence so that Kakashi could have time to take in everything that she had said, and not just think of ever way that she could be wrong.

After she had let them be surrounded by silence for ten or so minutes, Tsunade couldn't take it anymore. _I have to know details, damn it!_ She thought to herself while deciding on her next question.

"Kakashi sensei, what is it you like about Iruka exactly?" after she spoke, Kakashi came back to the conversation.

"…Huh? Oh, I don't really know."

"Kakashi, when I said that I would get answers out of you whether you liked it or not, or really wasn't kidding."

"I never doubted you, Tsunade Sama, but I wasn't lying to you. I really cannot pinpoint what I like about him; I like everything about him that I see."

"This happens to be a lot since you watch him whenever he is around and that you stalk him." She said, with a smirk playing on her face.

"I do not stalk him!" Kakashi answered indignantly while managing to look quite embarrassed with less than a quarter of his face showing.

"No, of course you don't," Tsunade said to try and calm him down."Now, list anything and everything you like about him that comes into your mind as I continue to document this entire conversation word for word, okay?"

It was then that Kakashi realized that Tsunade had just told him, documented their entire conversation, word for word.

"Every word that I have said during this entire conversation you have…recorded?" he asked, slightly in shock that he hadn't realized this when they began.

"Yes, but no one else will ever know of this exchange, so keep talking." She pushed him.

"…Fine. Well, I like that he's patient. Dealing with all the wannabe midget nins must be extremely hard, but the way he does it with a careless ease that never seems to falter is amazing. I like how when he talks to someone, when he has nothing else to do, he focuses all his attention on them and makes them seem like they are the most important person in the world. I like how he has so much care and compassion for everyone and everything around him, which is so rare, especially since he has lived through so much, along with the added pressure of what we have to do. I like how innocent he has stayed even though he has seen things that no one could ever forget."

"I like how committed he is, that once he starts something, he will do everything that he can to finish it, to do it perfectly! I like that he is intelligent, but does not shove it in people's faces. Yet at the exact same time, if he has an idea, he will make himself heard. I like everything about him, I can't think of anything that I don't like about him." Kakashi finished when he couldn't put anything else into words.

"That was good, seeing as you said that you couldn't describe how you felt about him. What you said shows me that you don't just like him Kakashi, but that you love him. But what surprises me is that not once did you mention if you like how he looks. I am also curious about that, so if you could continue?"Kakashi blinked at Tsunade a few times, completely confused at what she had said. "Tell me how you feel when you look at him. Do you find his face appealing? Do you find him hot, sexy, any of those words? God, how dense can you get!"

"Oh, you could have just said that. Well, I like that scar across his nose, it's cute when he smiles or frowns because it makes him look like a dolphin. I like his hair, it's so long and glossy and it looks so soft. I like his eyes, they are so soft and warm and kind, but can be stern also. They can give you a look that shows exactly how he is feeling, but at the same time are so mysterious because of the way that you cannot understand anything that you see. I love how damn sexy he looks when he is preoccupied with something and tunes out the world. He chews on his pen and taps it on his pink, kissable lips. I love how hot he looks when he blushes and stutters. I love how hot he looks in his uniform, but I can't help thinking that he would look even better with nothing on at all…" _**Was it really such a good idea to tell Tsunade all of this? ...it's a little late **__**to worry about that now, I guess. And I do feel better now that I have talked about my feelings.**_

"Ah, good, you like both his outside and his inside, but I won't say a word about your last comment. Now that you have admitted all of this, you undoubtedly feel better, but also very tired. So go home and think. And try to sleep. That's an order." Kakashi knew that she was right, so he did not fight on what she had told him to do.

_Sigh. Now I know that they both feel the same for each other, but Iruka is too shy do anything about his feelings, and Kakashi is too self conscious to even try to talk to him about how he feels. Those two are going to drive me insane! _

"yes, Tsunade Sama." With that, he transported himself back to his apartment.


	3. Chapter 3

**I am so sorry!** Things have been a bit crazy in my life, and that means that I haven't had a chance to update. Actually, I haven't even had the chance to write. This chapter has been sitting half finished in my book since about mid October! I finished it on the train ride that I took on New Years Eve between D.C. and New York, but I haven't had access to a computer until now. So, I, in my most dignified way, fall down upon my knees and beg for forgiveness. …All done now? Okay, good. Now, on with the story.

**Disclaimer: I do not, under any circumstances, own Naruto, or the characters. I own only the story line. If I did own Naruto, I would not ****have to worry about college. …So ****there :P**

**Iruka's thoughts**

_**Kakashi's thoughts**_

**Tsunade's**** thoughts**

Tsunade sat behind her desk, deep in thought. Now she knew that both of the annoying nin had feelings for each other… okay, in all honesty they loved each other , but both were under the impression that the other hated them, when that was as far from the truth as it is possible to get. **sigh ****This**** isn't fair! They are both too stubborn and too shy to do anything about this! Why am I stuck in the middle of this? …Oh yeah, it's because I was ****bored**** out of my mind and they both looked like they needed someone to talk to. … I have no idea of what to do now! **

Iruka sat behind his desk in the missions' office, staring at the paper work in front of him, not registering that it was there. Ever since he had talked with Tsunade he couldn't get Kakashi or what Tsunade hade said out of his head. **Why can't I make this stop? I can't focus on anything else but this, and people are starting to notice that I'm really out of it…**

"Iruka sensei, are you doing your work, or are you just ignoring me?"

Pause, no reaction.

"Iruka sensei …Iruka sensei?" Louder, but still no response.

"Iruka sensei, wake up!"

"Huh?! Wait, what?" **Oh ****Kami****, just the person I didn't want to see right now.**

"Iruka sensei, are you alright? I mean, I'm the one usually slaking off and you do the work!" Iruka blinked as Kakashi's words registered in his mind.

"Wait, Kakashi sensei, does this mean that you are turning in a legible copy of your report? On the day its due!?"

"Oh no, I've written it, but it is currently in my apartment with Pakun, to whom I have left orders to mangle and defile said report in any way he sees fit." Kakashi was truly annoying Iruka decided. He had just given his speech on destroying his paper, while his only facial expression was his trademark eye smile.

"If you are not going to give me your report, then why are you here wasting my time?" Iruka asked, getting more agitated by the second.

"Hey, that was uncalled for! Wasting time, why I never! Anyway, the reasons are these. Number one: entertainment. Number two, to help make it seem as though actually are working. And number three, is to annoy you!" Kakashi ended with his eye smile of which Iruka had decided must truly be trademarked, for no one else ever attempted to use it.

"Arghh! Kakashi! Why must you do this?!" Iruka asked while quickly losing his patience.

"Why must I do what? If you mean annoy you, it is again because of three simple reasons, it is fun for me, and it gives you something to do instead of sitting at your desk and signing papers. But I suppose there is one more reason better than any of the others…." With that Kakashi trailed off.

"If there is such a reason, please tell me before I lose what is left of my already tried patience."

"Are you sure that you want to know, Iruka sensei?"

"Please Kakashi, just tell me." **Just keep control, you can do this Iruka, don't let the infuriating jounin get to you.** Iruka told himself.

"But Iruka sensei, are you sure that you want to know? I mean, are youabsolutelysure that you wantto know?" Kakashi persisted, smirking.

"Just tell me Kakashi!"Iruka burst out.

"Iruka sensei, did you realize that the past two times you have addressed me, you have not added 'sensei' after my name? I realize that I am worth your admiration, but I had no idea that your feelings ran that deep." Inside Kakashi was thoroughly enjoying himself, while on the outside; he wore a mask of complete surprise.

"Well, Kakashi _sensei_, if there is a point that you are trying to make, make it fast, now!"

"Of course, Iruka sensei. As I was saying before I was so rudely interrupted," at this, Iruka shot Kakashi a look that clearly said 'you have ten seconds before your imminent demise'. "As I was saying, the third and most important reason that I find for annoying you is this: when you get angry, you are very hot, and if I may say, equally as sexy. That's why." Kakashi ended rather lamely. He then remained quiet as he watched for the reaction that Iruka would make.

**Did Kakashi just say what I think he said? There has got to ****be some sort of misinterpretation here**** somewhere.** Iruka quickly went over the conversation in his head again, but could find nothing that told him that he was interpreting Kakashi words incorrectly.

As that finally sunk into Iruka's paralyzed brain, he felt his cheeks turn a color reminiscent of a tomato.

"Oh, and Iruka sensei, blushing just increases those opinions of mine.**"**

Iruka, who was still in shock from what Kakashi had told him, didn't reply. Then, Kakashi leaned over iruka's desk and kissed him lightly on the cheek. Sadly, at this, Iruka's brain, which hadn't been working all that well to begin with, decided to die on him. **………………………………… …………….. … . . ****W****ha****-what just happened?**

Now assured that Iruka was indeed still alive, Kakashi turned and walked out of the missions' office. A few seconds later, Kakashi stuck his head back in the door.

"Oh, Iruka?"

"H-huh?" Iruka replied in a strangled voice.

"See you around." Kakashi gave a smile and a small wave and exited again through the door. Iruka, who at that moment had the mental capacity of a three year old, disconnectedly realized that that was the third time that day that Kakashi had opted to use the door instead of his much preferred way of getting around: teleportation. His reverie was interrupted by a small sound in the opposite corner of the room. In that corner, much to Iruka's regret, sat Tsunade.

"Aghhh.." Iruka squeaked out, "Tsu-Tsunade sama, what are you doing here? In the missions room? Right now?"

"What I am doing Iruka, is observing. I came in here with the plan of talking to you, but as you might know, that didn't really work out as planned." At those words, Iruka's face lit up like a tomato once more. "But, I now have the feeling that we have much more to talk about. Lets go." Tsunade ordered while trying with all her might to keep from laughing.

"But Tsunade sama…"

"What is Iruka sensei?"

"Um, well…It's still my shift! I am truly sorry, but I have responsibilities, I guess this little talk must happen later. Oh well."

"Iruka sensei! Stop trying to run away! You know that this will help you in the long run, right?"

**Why do her explanations always make sense? And why do they always make sense when it is better for me in the present for them not to make sense?** Iruka gave up a decided that he would live longer if he just agreed with the 5th. "You are right Tsunade sensei. This will help me later more than it hurts me now." **Just because I'm agreeing with you does not mean that I won't find a way out of this!**

"Good, now, let's go."

"Go where?" **Oh crap! **Iruka thought to himself. **Where are we going? Going somewhere does not help my plans for escape!**

"To my office of course. So we won't be interrupted while we speak." Tsunade started to walk to above mentioned office, and then paused when she realized that she was not being followed. "Coming, Iruka sensei?"

* * *

"I'm right behind you Tsunade sama." Iruka answered as he hung his head and followed her to his death. 

When they both were inside her office, Tsunade closed and locked the door behind them. "To make this more private." Tsunade answered Iruka's unspoken question when she felt his gaze upon her.

"Now then, tell me what happened. What made him do _that_?"

Iruka blushed. "Alright, Tsunade sama. But before I tell you, will you answer me my next question?"

That surprised Tsunade, she wasn't expecting him to ask something of _her_, but then decided that after all she had put him through he deserved to have one of his own questions answered. "Yes."

"Thank you. My question is this; why are you so interested? In my and Kakashi's relationship, or, in this case, lack thereof?"

"That's simple. I care about you." She caught Iruka's disbelieving look, "No, I really mean this Iruka. You are both immensely talented and are both huge additions to this village." All of her praise made Iruka fell as though he should point some flaw of his out to her, but she beat him to it just as he was opening his mouth. "And don't you dare give me that _'I'm only a chunin'_ thing. We both know that if you wanted to you could become a Jounin extremely easily, as well as join ANBU in the blink of an eye if you wished to, or if it was required of you." That made Iruka close his mouth as quickly as he had opened it. "Furthermore, you have both had so much sadness and misfortune in your lives. That makes you similar enough to get along if you would just give yourselves a chance to try. Yet at the exact same time, your own personalities are so very different. It is this difference that will give continuous surprises to both of you. You both need someone to make you happy in a way that friendship cannot. Is this making sense to you, Iruka?"

After she was done with her speech, Tsunade stopped talking, both to catch her breath, but also to allow Iruka to have a chance to comprehend her words. And as much as Iruka wanted to deny it, he understood her reasoning and why she was making his life a living hell. And…why she wanted to know everything.

After this realization, Iruka again failed to respond, so Tsunade began to grill him again.

"So, what happened?"

"…Oh yeah, right. Well, I was in the missions' room and Kakashi suddenly walks through the door," At the mention of Kakashi purposely walking through a door.

"He did what?!" She asked in shock.

"Who did what?" Iruka asked, confused at her sudden outbreak.

"K-Kakashi walked through a door. On purpose. Kakashi? _Walked through a door?_"

"Yes, he did. Come to think of, he walked through it two times. Well, four actually. If you his head entering and exiting as well." This time Tsunade managed to control her disbelief at hearing that Kakashi had used a door correctly four times in a day. Well, two times if you don't count his head entering and exiting. Which Tsunade did.

"Okay, let's get back to the main topic and come back later to look more closely at the phenomenon of Kakashi using a door correctly, shall we?"

"Okay. So, Kakashi came into the room and started to annoy me. I got fed up and asked him if he had an actual reason for being there, like turning in his report. …which of course he didn't." This annoyed Iruka, Tsunade could tell. After taking a calming breath, Iruka continued explaining the events of the day. "He said that he was here to help me, so that I had something to do other than pretend to do my work." When Tsunade heard this, her eyes filled with questions, but Iruka wasn't paying any attention to her, so she let it drop.

"I asked him why he was doing this, and he said that it was to give us both something interesting to do. But, he also said that…that he…." When Iruka started to stutter, Tsunade smirked.

"He kissed you, right." As soon as the words had escaped her mouth, Iruka lit up like a light bulb.

"Yes, he did…but…he also said something…" Iruka admitted reluctantly. His reluctance intrigued Tsunade immediately.

"What did he say?"

"…"

"Iruka, what did Kakashi say to you?"

"…Do I have to tell you? Isn't everything else I've said been enough?" Iruka pleaded.

With an innocent smile that was anything but, Tsunade answered his desperate question with a resounding "No."

"Iruka, this is important, so spill. Now." They sat in the silence that had been created for a few moments, until Iruka looked as though he might explode.

"Really? Must I?"

"Yes Iruka, you must. If you are this reluctant to tell me, then this is something that I need to know."

Those words felt like a death sentence to him. But, with them in his mind, his brain went into overdrive. **I really don't want to tell her what he said, or at least not yet. What can I do? What can I do? ****What**** can I do? …I know! She may have locked all of the doors and windows, but she won't be expecting this!**** …I'm going to pay horribly for this later, but I really don't care about that right now. Here it goes.** Iruka made up his mind, and preformed a transportation jutsu.

Tsunade stared at the empty seat in front of her for a few moments in shock.** What a bloody ****git****! Here I am, doing everything in my power to help these idiots, and Iruka up and runs away during the best, and I suppose, most crucial part of this entire conversation! I mean, I know he knows I know what happened, but he's refusing to speak about it! All I'm trying to do is help him. And the book said that number thirty-seven was a fairly simple one to follow****! I mean, everyone knows that admitting issues to ****yourself**** puts things in a better perspective! Plus, it gives you more control over the situation!**** That's it, there's only one thing left to do!**

"Shizune, send for Kakashi sensei immediately. I don't care what he's doing, bring him here."

"sigh Right away Hokage sama."

**When you can't get to the problem from the front, got about it through**** a different direction, or, ****in****this**** case, through the other man.**

* * *

"Mwa ha ha ha ha ha cough cough cough okay, no more maniacal laughter. But, I will give Iruka one thing. I did not see that coming." 

Meanwhile, with Kakashi

_**Oh shit, oh shit, oh shit! What did I just do!? **__**well**__**, that's **__**noe**__** the real issue here, I know what I did, I kissed him. The real question that I should be asking **__**my self**__** is what the hell was I thinking?! What if he hates me even more now? Oh shit!**_

Kakashi was currently pacing in circles in his apartment, stopping only to put out fires that the friction from his feet had created. And all the while, he kept repeating the exact same thing in his head.

"What am I going to do?" he asked his empty room when he finally sat down after realizing that his carpet now had a very distinguished circle of singed marks added to it.

"Well, for a start, you can come with me."

* * *

Again, I'm so sorry that it took me this long, but you will have to wait a while until chapter four comes as well, because at this moment, my life is crazy, as well as the fact that I am writing five other stories that I need to work on, all of them which may or may not end up on my profile. Thank you for reading. 

The book that Tsunade was talking about is _Over Three Million Ways to Make Your Life _Suck_ Less_. No, it's not a real book, but if it was, I would likely as not own it myself.


End file.
